Floating Hitching System

ABSTRACT

The apparatuses and methods disclosed herein may be easier and quicker than prior art systems. Furthermore, the apparatuses and method disclosed herein may be more effective over rough terrain. The apparatuses and methods disclosed herein include a tongue attached to the conveyance, a floating hitch attached to the motor vehicle, and a compression-hitching pin. A conveyance can be hitched to a motor vehicle simply by inserting the hitching pin through the tongue of the conveyance and the floating hitch of the motor vehicle and then pushing down on the handle of the hitching pin and turning the handle to lock the hitching pin in place.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to a floating hitching system.

BACKGROUND

Referring to FIG. 1, the standard hitching system 100 for attaching, forexample, a trailer 110 to a motor vehicle 120 comprises a tongue 130attached to the trailer, a tow bar 140 attached to the motor vehicle, ahitching pin 150, and a locking pin 160. The trailer tongue 130 includesa top portion 132 a, a bottom portion 132 b, and an opening 135 betweenthe top portion 132 a and the bottom portion 132 b. The opening 135typical has a height of 2 inches.

Hitching a trailer to a motor vehicle using the standard hitching system110 can be difficult and time consuming. For example, to hitch thetrailer 110 to the motor vehicle 120 using the standard hitching system100 requires an operator to first align the trailer tongue 130 and thetow bar 140 by positioning the tow bar 140 between the top portion 132 aand a bottom portion 132 b of the trailer tongue 130 (i.e., bypositioning the tow bar 140 in the opening 135 of the trailer tongue130) and aligning the holes 137 of the trailer tongue 130 (the bottomhole is not shown) and hole 145 of the tow bar 140. Then, the operatormust bend down to the trailer tongue 130, which is very close to theground level, to insert the hitching pin 150 through the holes 137 and145.

Once the hitching pin 150 is inserted, the operator must then bend downeven further to insert the locking pin 160 into a small hole 155 of thehitching pin 150. Since the operator cannot see the hole 155, to insertthe locking pin 160 into the small hole 155, the operator must feel forthe hole and then turn the hitching pin 150 so that the hole ispositioned to insert the locking pin 160 into the hole 140, again byfeel.

Physically bending down to insert the hitching pin 150 and the lockingpin 160 can be difficult and problematic for people with physicalimpairments (e.g., arthritis in the knees). The tasks involved inhitching a trailer to a motor vehicle using the standard hitching systemrequire good coordination, flexibility, and eyesight.

However, one of the main design deficiencies of the standard hitchingsystem can be the limited vertical motion that the standard hitchingsystem provides for the front-end of a towed cart-like vehicle. Forexample, the vertical motion of the front-end of the trailer is limitedto the vertical length of the opening 135. This limited vertical motioncan be problematic when a towed cart-like vehicle with one or two frontwheels encounters an elevation such as a low stump or curb. Typically,the front wheels will be either damaged or torn off the vehicle when thevehicle attempts to traverse the elevation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a standard hitching system for attaching a trailer toa motor vehicle.

FIGS. 2-4 illustrate an example floating hitching system according tothe principles of the present disclosure for attaching either afront-wheeled or standard conveyance to a motor vehicle.

FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate the floating functionality of the examplefloating hitching system of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various implementations of this disclosure provide apparatuses andmethods for attaching a conveyance to a motor vehicle. The apparatusesand methods disclosed herein may be easier and quicker to operate thanprior art systems. Furthermore, the apparatuses and method disclosedherein may be more effective over rough terrain, especially for afront-wheeled conveyance. The apparatuses and methods disclosed hereininclude a tongue attached to the conveyance, a floating hitch attachedto the motor vehicle, and a compression-hitching pin. A conveyance canbe hitched to a motor vehicle simply by inserting the hitching pinthrough the tongue of the conveyance and the floating hitch of the motorvehicle and then pushing down on the handle of the hitching pin andturning the handle to lock it in place. In some implementations, thetongue can be attached to the motor vehicle and the floating hitch canbe attached to the conveyance.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example floating hitching system 200 according tothe principles of the present disclosure for attaching a conveyance(e.g., conveyance 210) to a motor vehicle (e.g., motor vehicle 220). Theconveyance can be any existing or future developed means oftransportation including powered or unpowered vehicles. The motorvehicle 220 can be any motorized vehicle such as a lawn motor or anyother motorized vehicle.

The hitching system 200 comprises a tongue 230 attached to a conveyance(e.g., conveyance 210), a floating hitch 240 attached to a motor vehicle(e.g., motor vehicle 220), and a compression-hitching pin 250.

The tongue 230 includes a protrusion 232 having a hole 235.

Referring to FIG. 3, the floating hitch 240 includes a top portion 242 ahaving a hole 243 a, a bottom portion 242 b having a hole 243 b, and anopening 245 between the top portion 242 a and the bottom portion 242 b.In some implementations, the opening 245 can have a height of up totwelve inches. In some implementations, the opening 245 can have aheight greater than twelve inches. In some implementations, the heightof the opening 245 can be less than 8 inches. In some implementations,the height of the opening can be based on the size of a wheel of theconveyance.

Returning to FIG. 2, the hitching pin 250 includes a handle 252, a shaft254, a first pin 256 a (e.g. a dowel pin), a second pin 256 b (e.g. adowel pin), and a compression spring 258. The shaft 254 includes a firsthole and a second hole positioned at a first and second position toreceive the first pin 256 a and second pin 256 b, respectively. Thefirst pin 256 a and the second pin 256 b are of a sufficient length suchthat the ends of the pins extend from the shaft 254. The compressionspring 258 is inserted around the hitching pin 250 between the first pin256 a and second pin 256 b.

To hitch a conveyance to a motor vehicle using the floating hitchingsystem 200, the tongue 230 is positioned between the top portion 242 aand the bottom portion 242 b of the floating hitch 240 (i.e., the tongue230 is positioned in the opening 245 of the floating hitch 240) and theholes 235 and 243 b are aligned. Because the opening 245 of the floatinghitch 240 can be much larger than the opening 135 of the trailer tongue130, positioning the tongue 230 in the opening 245 of the floating hitch240 can be easier than positioning the tow bar 140 in the opening 135 ofthe trailer tongue 130 of the existing hitching system 100.

Once the tongue 230 and the floating hitch 240 are aligned, the hitchingpin 250 is inserted through the floating hitch 240 and the tongue 230and locked in place by pushing down on the handle 252 of the hitchingpin 250 and then turning the handle 252.

More specifically, and referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 as applicable, thelower portion of the shaft 254 and the second pin 256 b of the hitchingpin 250 are inserted through the hole 243 a of the top portion 242 a ofthe floating hitch 240. The hole 243 a is configured to receive thelower portion of the shaft 254 and the second pin 256 b when the secondpin 256 b is in a first direction lengthwise. The compression spring 258is of a sufficient diameter such that the compression spring 258 isblocked by the top portion 242 a of the floating hitch 240. When thebottom of the compression spring 258 rests on the top portion 242 a ofthe floating hitch 240, the lower portion of the shaft 254 is of asufficient length such that the end of the shaft 254 can be received bythe holes 235 and 243 b.

As the handle 252 of the hitching pin 250 is pushed down, thecompression spring 258 is compressed, and then the handle 252 of thehitching pin 250 is rotated to position the second pin 256 b in a seconddirection lengthwise to align the second pin 256 b with a slot 247 toreceive both ends of the second pin 256 b. In some implementations, thehandle 252 is rotated 90 degrees from the first direction (that is, thefirst direction and the second direction are at right angles).

Once the second pin 256 b is aligned with the slot 247, the handle 252is released so that both ends of the second pin 256 b can be received bythe slot 247 thereby both hitching the conveyance to the motor vehicleand securing the hitching pin in place, as shown in FIG. 4.

To un-hitch a conveyance from a motor vehicle, the handle 252 of thehitching pin 250 is pushed down and rotated to position the second pin256 b back in the first direction lengthwise so that the second pin 256b may be passed back through the hole 243 a. Thereafter, the hitchingpin 250 can be removed from the tongue 230 and the floating hitch 240.

By using the floating hitching system 200, an operator can hitch (andun-hitch) a conveyance to a motor vehicle with relative ease and speed.The operator is not required to bend down as far to insert and lock thehitching pin 250 as the operator would have to bend to insert thehitching pin 150 and the locking pin 160 of the standard hitching system100. Furthermore, since the operator can press down on the handle 252from a standing position, the operator's weight can help compress thespring during the hitching and un-hitching operations. Thus, thefloating hitching system 200 may be used more easily by operators withphysical impairments than the standard hitching system 100.

Furthermore, the tasks involved in hitching a conveyance to a motorvehicle using the floating hitching system 200 require lesscoordination, flexibility, and eyesight than coordination, flexibility,and eyesight required to perform the tasks involved in hitching atrailer to a motor vehicle using the standard hitching system 100.

Still further, the floating hitching system 200 provides more verticalmotion for the front-end of a conveyance than the vertical motionprovided for the front-end of a trailer by the standard hitching system100. That is, as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the tongue 230 can move (orfloat) along the shaft 254 of the hitching pin 250 when the conveyanceencounters an elevation such as rough terrain. The floating hitchingsystem 200 may prevent a front wheel 510 of the conveyance from beingdamaged as the conveyance attempts to travel over an elevation 520. Witha standard hitching system 100, the front wheel 510 may be damaged sincethe standard hitching system has limited vertical motion.

Reference throughout this specification to “an embodiment” or“implementation” or words of similar import means that a particulardescribed feature, structure, or characteristic is included in at leastone embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the phrase “in anembodiment” or a phrase of similar import in various places throughoutthis specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment.

Many modifications and other embodiments of the inventions set forthherein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which theseinventions pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in theforegoing descriptions and the associated drawings.

The described features, structures, or characteristics may be combinedin any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the abovedescription, numerous specific details are provided for a thoroughunderstanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in therelevant art will recognize, however, that embodiments of the inventioncan be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or withother methods, components, materials, etc. In other instances,well-known structures, materials, or operations may not be shown ordescribed in detail.

1-7. (canceled)
 8. A compression-hitching pin comprising: a handle; ashaft; a first pin inserted through the shaft of the hitching pin at afirst location; a second pin inserted through the shaft of the hitchingpin at a second location wherein the ends of the first pin and thesecond pin extend from the shaft; and a compression spring locatedaround the shaft between the first pin and the second pin.
 9. A floatinghitch system comprising: a floating hitch including a top portion havinga hole and a slot, a bottom portion having a hole, and an openingbetween the top portion and the bottom portion; and acompression-hitching pin including a handle, a shaft, a first pininserted through the shaft of the hitching pin at a first location, asecond pin inserted through the shaft of the hitching pin at a secondlocation, and a compression spring located around the shaft between thefirst pin and the second pin, wherein the ends of the first pin and thesecond pin extend from the shaft; wherein the hole of the top portion ofthe floating hitch is configured to receive the lower portion of theshaft and the second pin of the hitching pin when the second pin is in afirst direction; and wherein the compression spring is of a sufficientdiameter so that the top portion of the floating hitch blocks thecompression spring from being inserted in the hole of the top portion.10. The floating hitch system of claim 9 wherein the opening between thetop portion and the bottom portion is at least 6 inches in height.
 11. Amethod to hitch using the floating hitch system of claim 9, the methodcomprising: aligning and the hole of the tongue with the hole of thebottom portion of the floating hitch; inserting the lower portion of theshaft and the second pin of the hitching pin through the hole of the topportion of the floating hitch; pressing down on the handle of thehitching pin thereby compressing the compression spring; rotating thehandle to align the second pin of the hitching with the slot of the topportion; and releasing the handle of the hitching pin to engage thesecond pin of the hitching with the slot of the top portion.
 12. Themethod of claim 11 wherein the handle is rotated by ninety degrees. 13.The method of claim 11 further comprising unhitching wherein unhitchingcomprises: pressing down on the handle of the hitching pin therebycompressing the compression spring; rotating the handle to position thesecond pin in the first direction; and releasing the handle of thehitching pin so that the second pin can pass back through the hole ofthe top portion.